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Evangelion, Neon Genesis Platinum Perfect Collection (Tin) (Hyb)
Jon F. Turner - Sep 28 2007 JTurner82@AOL.com Rating: "Okay." Technically dazzling and thought-provoking but too angst-ridden and confusing. It's impossible to overestimate the number of loyal, unbending followers that idolize this 26-episode series from Gainax and director Hideaki Anno (who reportedly made it as an attempt to exorcise his inner demons). I can even imagine that there are those who will threaten to have me crucified for awarding it anything less than five stars. However, I must state clearly that I am not one of this series' biggest fans. The problem with NEON GENESIS EVANGELION isn't that it's bad -- it's just not a particularly engaging show. The show, set in post-apocalyptic Tokyo-3, involves alien-like monsters known as "Angels" that continually threaten the metropolis. Only three angst-ridden and psychologically messed up teenagers -- which include introverted Shinji Ikari, enigmatic Rei Ayanami, and mean-spirited Asuka Langley Sohryu -- stand a chance against them. They do this by piloting their Evangelions -- giant, supercharged robots with the kitschy design of a child’s toy but with incredible power. In charge of the whole thing is Misato Katsuragi, a tough, no-nonsense woman who cares for the children and occasionally swells booze. On the other hand we have Gendo Ikari, Shinji's cold, unlovable father who seems to have an agenda of his own. And then there is the matter over whether the real threat in Tokyo-3 is in the presence of the Angels or a far more diabolical plot. The technical aspects of this show are impressive -- particularly the dramatic and emotionally charged battles between the EVAs and the grotesquely designed angels; a sense of mystery and intrigue exudes from its complex storyline. There are also some very effective and horrifying sequences that remain in one's mind long after they're over. Also interesting (and sometimes disorienting) is the use of classical music for several episodes toward the end, notably Handel's "Messiah" and Beethoven's "Choral" Symphony. On the flip side of the coin, with the possible exception of Misato, none of the other characters emerge as particularly likeable or easy to root for or against. Shinji, the hero, spends most of the time whining about his father or acting as passive as a wimp, and as such, is pretty annoying. Rei is a strangely cold and off-putting girl who expresses little to no emotion. Then there’s Asuka, who, while being a competent and skillful fighter comes across as a quarrelsome, arrogant, and downright unlikable brat, treating everyone around her like dirt (think Nadia in those horrid Island and African episodes from that show and multiply it by 100). And of course, Gendo Ikari gets the prize of being the worst father figure ever in addition to being the most despicable character of all time. The plot does get points for attempting to be multi-faceted, and it never delves into any silly, mindnumbingly senseless filler episodes as Gainax's previous TV show, NADIA, suffered from. But like its predecessor, EVANGELION also suffers from being infuriatingly inconsistent. Approximately midway through, the series devolves from a dreary yet compelling sci-fi drama into an angst-ridden, utterly incomprehensible mess. Instead of answering the many questions its viewers are likely to have with its unexpected plot twists and turns, EVANGELION only succeeds in baffling its audience with bizarre, surrealistic dream sequences and especially its disappointingly inept ending episodes (25 & 26). Not that EVANGELION as a whole is a complete waste of time. As mentioned, there are impressively directed action sequences, intriguing mysteries, and in-depth character studies to behold. But whether these positives warrant taking a plunge into a murky story that barely turns coherent in its final third is up to the viewer. So based on that, I consider my rating of EVANGELION a rather generous one--it has its share of pros, most of which are very strong, but its drawbacks are every bit as grating. The show has proven to be quite a popular cash cow, both in Japan and in America; ADV Films has released the series countless times on DVD--this is the Platinum version, which contains two director’s cut versions of several episodes from the show as well as plentiful extras, which include commentaries from the English cast. Speaking of which, the dub, provided by Industrial Smoke & Mirrors in the mid ‘90s, is every bit as hotly debated as EVANGELION is. The dub follows the script fairly well, and the performances aren’t too bad, but I did find it a little disappointing that the young protagonists don't sound like children--especially after ADV's dub for NADIA impressed me with their use of actual child actors. In all fairness, the whole dub is carried by Alison Keith's terrific turn as Misato--she brings a lot of sassiness and instant likeability to what could very well be the sole one worth siding with. While I will never consider EVANGELION one of my favorites, there are others who have embraced this series for what it is; but be warned, it does not always live up to its hype. Jon F. Turner - Dec 20 2007 JTurner82@AOL.com Rating: Pretty good! A re-evaluation of the series. Having realized that my above comments were a bit too vague, I've decided to restructure my review, and here it is: Gainax's staggeringly ambitious, 26-episode series NEON GENESIS EVANGELION is declared as one of the most compelling Anime productions of all time. It also happens to be one of most controversial. On one side of the coin are a bunch of loyal, unbending followers that idolize the show. On the other are a group of naysayers who say otherwise. As far as my views of EVANGELION are concerned, I fall somewhere in the middle. In many ways, the show is indeed brilliant and thought provoking--something rarely seen in any animated production, American or Japanese. At the same time, however, there are elements of EVANGELION that rub me the wrong way. The show, set in post-apocalyptic Tokyo-3, involves alien-like monsters known as "Angels" that continually threaten the metropolis. Only psychologically messed up teenagers -- who include introverted Shinji Ikari, enigmatic Rei Ayanami, and mean-spirited Asuka Langley Sohryu -- stand a chance against them. They do this by piloting their Evangelions -- giant, superpowerful, robot-like fighters. In charge of the whole thing is Misato Katsuragi, a tough, no-nonsense woman who cares for the children while dealing with her own issues. Also calling the shots is Shinji's cold, unsympathetic father, Gendo Ikari, Shinji's cold, unlovable father, who seems to have an agenda of his own, although we're not entirely clear about what it is. And then there is the matter over whether the real threat in Tokyo-3 is in the presence of the Angels or an even more ominous organization, known as SEELE, which is occasionally seen as a group of tabloids with numbers. As mentioned, there are many aspects of EVANGELION that are good and bad. The technical aspects of this show are impressive -- particularly the dramatic and emotionally charged battles between the EVAs and the grotesquely designed angels; a sense of mystery and intrigue exudes from its complex storyline. As a matter of fact, the show is at its best when it focuses on the conflict between the Angels and the human race. Furthermore, even though a majority of the characters are basically unlikable (save perhaps, for Misato), director Anno does dedicate some episodes delving into their tormented pasts. This is often done in surreal, bizarre, "dream" like sequences involving kaleidoscopic imagery and inner thoughts. Also interesting (and sometimes disorienting) is the use of classical music for several episodes toward the end, notably Handel's "Messiah" and Beethoven's "Choral" Symphony. It has been widely touted that the characters of EVANGELION are some of the most complex, socially washed out beings ever committed to Anime. On one level, it provides for some intriguing interactions, from Shinji's estranged relationship with both his father and the bitchy Asuka to Misato's own fractured love affair with her off again on again beau, Kaji. The character development becomes gradually less intriguing, however, as each episode exorcises the same angst-ridden issues over and over again, with little to no resolution. In the surprisingly grim and violent latter half of the series, the characters all head into a downward spiral. At the same time, EVANGELION starts to become less intriguing (if sometimes confusing) and turns messy, almost to the point of being totally incomprehensible. Questions that viewers are likely to have about the plot are never answered, and some later episodes have scenes in which absolutely nothing happens that last too long. Another problem with EVANGELION is its ending or rather, lack thereof. While Gainax's previous TV show, NADIA, took a wrong turn at the midpoint, it did get recover for its last episodes and delivered a strong, if too short conclusion. Here, however, the story simply falls apart. The final two episodes, which are very much played out like extensive therapy sessions, eschew both action and coherency in favor of deconstructing the protagonists' minds. In doing so, it makes the mistake of underwhelming the audience. There are some interesting artistic styles, like Shinji being drawn as a sketch in deep space, but even this potentially experimental approach is compromised by the lack of a structure for a compelling conclusion. In spite of its faults, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION is still worth watching for many reasons. Its impressively directed action sequences, intriguing mysteries, and in-depth character studies have been seldom matched in others of its kind. ADV Films has released the series countless times on DVD--this is the Platinum version, which contains two director's cut versions of several episodes from the show as well as plentiful extras, which include commentaries from the English cast. The dub, provided by Industrial Smoke & Mirrors in the mid '90s, like the show, tends to receive polarized reaction. The dub follows the script fairly well, and the acting is mostly emotionally sound (if at times too melodramatic). On the flipside, it is somewhat disappointing that the young protagonists don't sound like children--especially after ADV's dub for NADIA impressed me with their use of actual child actors. Fortunately, the whole dub is carried by Alison Keith's terrific turn as Misato--she brings a lot of sassiness and instant likeability to the character. Her performance *sells* the dub as a whole even when the script becomes confusing in places. NEON GENESIS EVANGELION will certainly not win over converts beyond a certain age -- as mentioned, its complicated and sometimes too angst-ridden plot is more likely to appeal to adolescents. As an ambitious and daring exercise in bringing Anime to wider audiences, however, its remarkable in how it achieved that goal. |
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